Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1887-07-08
"Ho Is dead, ~ ho soid, land our difi-

jean, summoning all his courage,
arose, moved round the spot where he
knew the murdered man lay
and so got to tho door. Then ho made
his escape, and by daylight was twenty
miles away toward Troycs.
Monsieur Tontay inherited hand
some property near La Fere, from his
father, whose only child he was. He
married early, but his choice was not q
wise one, for, after the couple had
lived together two years, Madame Ton
tay elopcd with Monsieur Jarentc, who
was old enough to be hor father,
and had n wife and family TO boot The
pair went to reside on an estate owned
by Jarcnte at Lussac, in Poitou, and
Madame Jarcnto and her family con-
tinucd TO live at Yillenarc, few miles
from La Ferc.
After lapse of some years, Monsieur
Tontay brought to his home niece,
Marguerite Tontay. He virtually
adopted her and educated her as
though she had been his own child.
When she attained womanhood his
chagrin and disappointment may bo
imagined when he discovered that she
was receiving in secret tho attentions
of Louis Jarentc, the son of the man
who had wrought him an irroparablc
wrong.
Expostulations and threats were
alike vain to prevent the meeting of
the lovers, and finally Monsieur Ton
tay assured Marguerite that in case of
her continued disobcdicnco she should
never inherit sou of his property.
For timo she simulated compliance
with hor unclc's wishes and profcsscd
to have broken Off her relations with
Louis Jarentc.
Her uncle, however, unexpectedly
discovered that she was only deceiving
him, and lie secretly began ncgotia-
tions for the sale of his estate, in
tending to quit the neighborhood and
remove to Paris to reside in the family
of n younger sister.
Monsieur Tontay had consulted Ger
vais, u notary of La Fcrc, who had pro-
cured n purchaser for the estate, and
the deeds were in course of preparation.
1t happened that Frederic Gcrvais,
the notary's son, came from Paris on a
visit TO his father, and was thrown into
the society of Louis Jarcnte. They
became intimate, and Louis commune
Gated to Frederic his relations with
Monsieur Tontay.
One day Frederic, in his fathers
temporary absence, saw the deeds in
preparation for the sale of Monsieur
Tontay's property, and communicated
the fact to Louis. The latter mt once
concluded that Monsieur Tontay's OBJ
ject was to disinherit Marguerite, and
he speedily communicated to her his
The situation was urgent. Louis
was poor; but if Marguerite was to in
herit her unclc's property she would
be wealthy. 1t did not take long for
Louis to convince Marguerite that it
was absolutely necessary that some
thing should be done at once TO pre-
vent the impending ruin that threat
cned both. Only one thing could pre-
vent it-thc removal, and that speedily
of Mons. Tontay.
Finally, on the morning of August
Is, 1857, Mons Tontay told Marguerite
that he was selling his property and
was about to remove to Paris, and that
he would make her an allowance of
three thousand francs year, and she
might choose her own residence. He
upbraided her with her deception and
ingratitude, and declared that he
would do nothing for her beyond what
he had said.
The same day Marguerite met Louis,
and she was on her way home when
they overlook jean Savart. The APP
pearance of the dog notified them of
the fact that Monsieur Tontay must be
outside the grounds, and hence the hur-
ried parting to meet again at later
hour.
At that second meeting the death of
Monsieur Tontay was agreed upon, and
poison was to be the means by which
he was to be removed. They retired
to the barn, where they had frequently
met before, and with what happened
there the reader is already acquainted.
When Monsieur Tontay was found
murdered in the barn next morning the
greatest CONSERVATION prevailed in the
Such q crime had never
been known there within the memory
nf thn ol1nct inhn hitnnt
Marie Pctcl, the cook, testified that
the night before her master came to her
and said that he had put n miserable
tramp into the barn to sleep, and bade
her make pot of good soup for the
man. She did so, and Monsieur Ton
tay, with his own hands, carried the
pottagc in can to the barn.
TWAS the tramp who had murdered
his bcncfactor! Could there be any
doubt about it? Poor, generous, kind
hearted Monsieur Tontay had been
murdered by tho man to whom he was
doing An act of Kindness. He had been
robbedp Nobody could say. for no.
dody knew what money Monsieur car
ricd about him.
The tramp was tho man, anyhow,
and tho officers of justice were speedily
after him. But they failed to find him.
As for Jean. he travelled on, doing
odd jobs here and there, until. early the
following spring, lie found himself at
Poitou BY one Of these condolences
which often occur, he made his way to
Lussac, where, it may be remembered,
Monsieur Jarcnte and the faithless
wife of Monsieur Tontay resided.
OF course, the story of the murder
had reached them, and had excited in
even them feelings of horror and ven
geance. Jean, as his custom was on
reaching new ncighborhood, hid in
the woods, and vcnturcd abroad with
care until he saw the character of the
people around. On quitting the em-
ploy of Plony, at Epernay, he had re-
ceivcd n good round sum which was
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